Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition, often accompanied by depression and fatigue, in which a person feels pain in the muscles and tissues surrounding the joints. Nine in 10 fibromyalgia patients are female. While the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, researchers have found pain-processing abnormalities in the spines and brain stems of some people with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia research suggests that the condition is a diffuse problem of sensory volume control in which patients' thresholds are altered not just to pain, but to other stimuli such as heat, noise, and strong odors. Indeed, fibromyalgia frequently occurs with other syndromes that are also associated with hypersensitivity, such as irritable bowel syndrome, and TMG syndrome. Depression, stress, and poor sleeping habits aggravate fibromyalgia. You may also consider reading about chronic fatigue syndrome. For more research information, see fibromyalgia.
Natural treatment options for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome characterized by widespread pain,
troubled sleep, disturbed mood, and fatigue. Several analgesic strategies have
been evaluated but the results are moderate and inconsistent.
Exercise more. Regular walks and stretching exercises can help ease the chronic,
depressing pain of fibromyalgia. Women who exercise also have fewer
fibroids.
Eat more cold water fish and more vegetables
SAM-e an antidepressant that lifts mood within hours may help some individuals,
use half or less of a 200 mg SAMe tablet.
CoQ10
combined with Ginkgo may help. Limit
Co Q10 dose to 50 mg or less, and ginkgo to
40 mg or 60 mg.
Ribose sugar may be helpful.
D Ribose for fibromyalgia
The use of D-Ribose
in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: a pilot study.
J Altern Complement Med. 2006 Nov;12(9):857-62. Teitelbaum JE, Johnson C, St Cyr
J. Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, Dallas, TX, USA.
Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are debilitating syndromes that are
often associated with impaired cellular energy metabolism. As D-ribose has been
shown to increase cellular energy synthesis in heart and skeletal muscle, this
open-label uncontrolled pilot study was done to evaluate if D-ribose could
improve symptoms in fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome patients.
Forty-one patients with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and/or CFS were given
D-ribose, a naturally occurring pentose carbohydrate, at a dose of 5 grams three
times a day for a total of 280 g. D-ribose supplements improved all five
visual analog scale categories: energy; sleep; mental clarity; pain intensity;
and well-being, as well as an improvement in patients' global assessment.
Approximately 66% of patients experienced significant improvement while on
D-ribose.
Fibromyalgia and yoga
Simple movement such as yoga can help provide relief for ibromyalgia. A
wonderful form of yoga to try for fibromyalgia is restorative yoga or yin
yoga. For more information, see
yoga.
MSM supplement for
fibromyalgia
Natural
fibromyalgia treatment or alternative
treatment for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are becoming
popular. We get emails requesting info on MSM supplement for Fibromyalgia.
Q. Hi, I read somewhere on the internet that MSM supplement helps provide
relief for Fibromyalgia symptoms. Is this true?
A. We have not seen human research with MSM supplement and
fibromyalgia. But, it may be worthwhile to try a MSM supplement to see if
it helps your fibromyalgia symptoms.
Natural FibromylagiaTreatment
with Food Elimination
Food allergies. In one study, researchers reviewed medical charts of 17 fibromyalgia
patients who agreed to eliminate common foods from their diet such as corn, wheat, dairy,
citrus, soy and nuts. After 2 weeks without eating any of the potential food allergens,
nearly half of the patients reported "significant reduction of pain," and most
reported a reduction in other fibromyalgia symptoms such as headache, fatigue, bloating, and breathing
difficulties. Two patients had an increase in symptoms. After the food elimination phase of the study,
the patients were then instructed to reintroduce a particular food every 2 or 3 days and
monitor their reaction to the food. Some of the reactions to foods were pain, headache,
and gastrointestinal distress. The most common problem-causing foods or ingredients for
the patients in this study were corn, wheat, dairy, citrus and sugar.
Medicine for
fibromyalgia
Exercise is more effective in easing
fibromyalgia symptoms than medication.
Malic acid for fibromyalgia. Tricyclic and SSRI antidepressants. Ultram (tramadol) for pain.
Fibromyalgia diagnosis
Musculoskeletal aches at 3 or more sites for 3 or more months. Severe pain in 5 out
of 11 tender point sites (occiput, low cervical, trapezius, suprasinatus, second rib,
lateral epicondyle, gluteal, greater trochanter, knee) plus at least 3 out of 10
associated symptoms (fatigue, sleep disturbance, affective disorders, irritable bladder or
bowel, chronic headache, perception of swelling, numbness, pain modulated by activity,
weather or stress, esophageal dismobility). Laboratory tests are usually normal.
Fibromylagia prescription
medication
There are currently no medications specifically
approved for fibromyalgia, a sometimes debilitating disorder with symptoms that
can include intense pain, fatigue, stiffness and depression.
Lyrica has been tested for
fibromyalgia.
Pregabalin for fibromyalgia
The anticonvulsant pregabalin provides pain relief in about half of patients
with fibromyalgia. In fibromyalgia, pain transmission pathways at the dorsal
horn of the spinal cord are sensitized, similar to what is observed in
neuropathic pain syndromes. Pregabalin is a drug that tamps down the activity of
those dorsal horn neurons. Pregabalin apparently crosses the blood brain barrier
better than gabapentin.
Fibromyalgia questions
Q. I have fibromyalgia and just read about the dopamine connection ( Dr David
Dryland ) I do not like to take prescription meds so almost everything I take is
a supplement or herb (except allergies were so bad I take Zyrtec 10 mg daily).
So I looked up Dopamine, found the precursor L-dopa and looked up natural forms
and found mucuna, I now take 200 mg of 5-HTP for migraines and sleep. From what
I have read I am wondering if I can take mucuna and 5-HTP together for
fibromyalgia?
A. Caution is advised when mixing potent herbs and nutrients. It is
best to learn how each herb or nutrient works by itself, and if combining, lower
dosages should be used for each.
Q. I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and in doing
a little research online discovered 5HTP and I thought it may help.
A. 5-HTP is worth a try for those with fibromyalgia who also have
low mood but we have not seen any research regarding the role of 5 HTP and
fibromyalgia treatment.
Sample links